Smiles
by Lavenderangel
Summary: She wants it back and she wants more but Lana doesn’t know how to get it; to get him. ClarkLanaClarkLois. Complete.


Title: Smiles Author: Lala Rating: PG Pairing: Clark/Lois, Clark/Lana Spoilers: None Summary: She wants it back and she wants more but Lana doesn't know how to get it; to get him. Complete.  
Author's notes: I tried really hard to put a metaphor in here, but I failed spectacularly, so please bare with me. I hope I got Lois's characterization right, and that the banter between her and Clark isn't too cheesy or forced. And I'm not sure if I should call this a Clois or Clana fic, sssooo, if you loathe either ship, don't hurt me.  
Disclaimer: Me, own Smallville? "Don't. You. Wish." kills Lionel

Clark and Lois walk in laughing. Clark laughs so rarely it takes Lana by surprise and she nearly drops her coffee. She recovers quickly though, makes herself turn back to Jason.

But she keeps listening to them. Tries to smile as they sit at a table near theirs.

"Smallville, you've got to be kidding me. You do not seriously like chocolate milk?"

"And what if I do?" Clark's voice is offensive, but when Lana sneaks a look at him, he's smiling.

"You're pathetic." Lois adds cream to her coffee but bumps Clark with her shoulder, letting both of them know she's teasing him.

"Well, I learn from the best."

"Was that a compliment?"

"Don't you wish."

Clark goes in the back to help his mom and Jason disappears somewhere, Lana doesn't care why. Lana goes to sit with Lois, who's smiling at Clark with a faraway look in her eyes. Lana doubts she even realizes what she's doing.

"Hi, Lois," she says, taking the seat across from her.

"Hi," the older girl replies, jerking her eyes quickly to Lana. "How are you and the other lovebird?"

Lana blushes and mumbles fine, just because it's expected. "So I see you and Clark are having a good time."

"Smallville? Well, he's tolerable." The smile in her eyes gives her away.

"He was laughing when you guys came in," Lana notes. Lois looks at her like she's crazy.

"Yes, people tend to do that. Granted, he was probably laughing at one of his own comebacks, he's so self centered."

"Clark… Clark never laughs. Not around me, at least."

Lois looks like she wants to say something but restrains herself. Lana's glad.

"You've gotta know how to get under his skin," she says wisely. Lana wouldn't mind getting under his clothes, but whatever.

"He used to smile at me, like I was some amazing creature. I'd say hi and he'd just… just beam. And I always felt so bad, because if saying hi could make him do that, what would saying more do?"

Lois is uncharacteristically quiet for a minute, and then: "did he have that dreamy look in his eyes? Like a dog salivating all over a bone?"

Lana's not sure if she should defend Clark from that comparison; she's seldom sure what to say around Lois. "I guess," she says hesitantly. "But… but it was more than that. It was like I'd given him the best Christmas present he could ever get. But I… I never made him laugh."

This makes her want to cry, for some reason. Lois has some new toy; some new addition to something that was hers and she suddenly needs to have it. Not just the part Lois has; but all of it, every accessory and cheep sticker you can put on it that's possible. She used to have it, she thinks. She wants it back and she wants more but Lana doesn't know how to get it; to get him.

"It's not that hard," Lois tells her. "Just learn how to blackmail him and he'll be at your beck and call."

Lana smiles tentatively, and it grows bigger as Clark comes over, holding out the coffee pot.

"Haven't you already been fired from this job?" Lana tries her hand at a joke, but the words feel strange on her lips. They must sound that way too because Clark smiles but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

He blushes and refills her coffee. "I was hoping we could forget about that," he tells her. "Coffee, Lois? Or do you only prefer the kind strong enough to knock someone off their feet."

"Very funny, Farmboy." She reaches out and straightens Clark's apron. He bats her hand away but is still grinning, big and genuine. He pours her coffee and bolts away before Lois can make fun of his coffee or Lana can try and make him laugh.

"Don't go into the coffee business," Lois calls after him. Clark gives her a mock glare and says something that makes her leap up, armed with the whipped cream.

Then they're chasing each other around the room, and Lana's glad it's nearly closing and Martha's in the back doing inventory. Clark's laugh rings out as he wrestle's the cream from Lois and she has an instant beard.

Lana watches for a minute, the sting of tears hot behind her eyes. Then she gets up unnoticed. Sneaks behind the counter where she knows the whipped cream is stored. Comes out armed and ready.

And Clark yelps in shock as the back of his shirt and neck are drenched.

Lois gives her a high five as she passes her and Clark steadies Lana as she slips on a puddle of the cream. His hands are cool and foamy against her slightly exposed skin under her shirt and she giggles as he seeks his revenge on her with his own canister.

He's laughing then, free and gasping. Lois has grabbed a sugar bowl and grains mix with the cream in Lana's hair.

And it's childish and so satisfying.

Because she made Clark Kent smile again.

And she doesn't mind sharing anymore. Maybe she'll even let Lois keep the toy; all of it, even the parts she knows still belong to her. 


End file.
